How to Avoid Costly Traps for Printing Software Evaluation?

Calculating the print software is not similar to solving the math query. You must not evaluate it by the number of features and awards it has won rather you must concentrate on what problems it solves for you. The idea of an online print solution investment is that it should be able to solve your printing issues and challenges that are holding you and your company back from giving the best to your customers.

While you were hunting for online printing software, have you ever come across a software for which you said, “I have finally found the one with everything I have been looking for”? However, that is not possible because be it any software that you purchase it is not the features that make it best there are a lot more factors that are included to make it the best one. Usually, we pick that software, which has maximum features and is higher in value compared to the other print software available in the market. This is not the right way of investing. You need to find a solution to your problems, and if you have found that one then you are investing in the right one.

You must invest in the web to print solution that has answers to your printing problems, and if you have found a vendor that has only one or two features that will solve the problem and gives you a better solution than the software with twenty features, then you must invest in this software only. However, you will have to list down the problems you are facing with your current system.

Once you have listed them, then you need to see which software will solve them in a better way and is less time-consuming. Based on these results you can then finalize the software. Do not let these pricey entraps hold you from evaluating the web-to-print software. Your evaluation should be based on what challenges are holding your company’s growth and what you need, to have a good customer satisfaction rate. You need to understand that for any business to grow customer satisfaction is of the highest importance.

Best Way to Approach Online Printing Software for Business

Usually, people buy online printing software by comparing the features, which is not the right way. You do not go shopping without a plan. There is a reason behind shopping something exclusive and printing software is a huge investment. So when you go to the market you must make sure that you have discussed with your sales and marketing team about the challenges being faced in your print business. Once you have listed the problems you also need to discuss how you can overcome them, and those answers will be your points to pick on while are choosing a W2P solution.

List Your Challenges

Now that you know you have a few challenges that you are struggling with you must list them according to their priority. You do not need to write what solutions you need; just the challenges will be enough. Different printers have different challenges let us just look at a few of those challenges that are seen in many printing industries.

Will we be able to use the technology smoothly?

Will the software be able to take multiple entries at a time?

Can the order entry panel automatically distribute jobs in the Print MIS?

Will customers be able to send us jobs directly through the software?

Will your software be able to generate quotes faster as my current one takes a lot of time?

Will I be able to access the data stored without having to call the vendor?

Will my customers be able to give multiple orders at a time?

Will I be able to distribute jobs based on the order requirements?

These are just a few queries, but they will differ from company to company and printer to printer. You have to keep in mind that your challenges need to be defined and not their solutions. Why I am asking to define challenges and not solutions, is because your mind will be set with the solutions and it will not be easy for you to accept any other solution even if you find a better one. Therefore, once your challenges are defined, finding solutions will be a lot easier than you think.

Let us take an example here: You go with your friends for a picnic, and after you reach the picnic spot, you think you need to go in the other direction. However, your friends say the opposite one is better. If you agree and go along with them, you will enjoy the picnic, but if you refuse to go with them, you land up being alone even in the picnic with friends because you have soured their mood. Therefore, a group discussion and making the final decision before you leave for the picnic is a must. Similar is the case with print business.

When you are buying a web-based printing software, you have to define your reasons for buying it. You cannot just go and buy one because your friend is buying. It is not a T-shirt or a Handbag. Your decision to buy or invest in this software should be the answer to your customer’s printing problems. If you do not work this way, then you are surely going to fail. If your customers are not happy, they will move to your competitors. You run a business for your customers if you do not have customers how you going to run it. Do not let the pricey and feature enriched software fool you, these will only add to your expenses and problems.

Conclusion

You cannot force a software to work with your business. You will end up blowing up everything. Online W2P software for printing businesses must be chosen keeping in mind the user and market demand. No Software will work as per your business model; you might have to modify some of your processes in order to get the best output from it. If you do not want to waste the money invested, you must learn the software and ensure you and your teamwork with coordination. Choose the right web2print software based on your current requirements and not the price tag of the software.

Amy Watson is a consultant in E-commerce web to print Software Technology as well as Product Design Configurator for various eCommerce platforms. As a technology enthusiast, she is very well aware of latest trends and tools to expand online sales.